Dual Mode Cleaner

ABSTRACT

To achieve this an air routing valve is used to alter the stream of exhaust air coming from the outlet of the motorized fan housing away from the cleaning head of the Air Recycling Cleaner back into the ambient air to create a vacuum cleaner. Both systems the Air Recycling Cleaner and the Vacuum Cleaner have their own place in floor care. However as it is not convenient or practical to have two cleaners available in the home at all times the dual mode system allows one upright cleaner to do both jobs and allows the operator to have the advantage of both types of cleaning system available in one machine simply by the operation of an air routing valve control.

This invention relates to a Dual mode carpet cleaner.

A Vacuum Cleaner uses a fan to suck air in through a cleaning head that is in fluid contact with the carpet that is to be cleaned. After the dust laden air is passed through a dust separator or dust bag the air is blown back via filters into the room.

This release of the exhaust air disturbs dust in the room and wastes energy.

The Air Recycling Cleaner works not by sucking air through a carpet it uses the powerful air stream that is blowing from the exhaust and routes it back to the cleaning head.

It is then used to assist the air being drawn through the carpet.

The return of the air back into the cleaning head reduces the amount of power required by the cleaner and also removes the problems caused by the blast of air that is ejected from the outlet of the Vacuum Cleaner.

The Vacuum Cleaner and the Air Recycling Cleaner both have their own advantages.

The Air Recycling Cleaner removes the problems caused by blowing dust from furniture around the room. And it uses less power for a given amount of work it is quieter and there is no smell of stale air in the room when the carpet is being cleaned.

The Vacuum Cleaner is better at cleaning hard floors.

Both systems the Air Recycling Cleaner and the Vacuum Cleaner have their own place in floor care.

But because it is not convenient or practical to have two cleaners available in the home at all times a dual mode cleaner has been invented that at the operation of a control lever can change its mode of operation from Vacuum Cleaner to Air Recycling Cleaner

According to the present invention there is an upright carpet cleaner that is fitted with an adjustable valve 1 the purpose of which is to alter the route of the exhaust air coming from the outlet of the motorized fan housing.

When the control knob 9 FIG. 2 is in the Vac position it allows the air stream to be taken through a filter 4 and to be released into the ambient air as in a conventional Vacuum Cleaner.

When the Air Recycling Cleaner mode is required the control knob 9 can be turned to ARC to change the route of the air stream to a hose 6 that leads to the cleaning head 7 where the exhaust air combines with the air being drawn through the carpet.

This also assists the fan to turn reducing the amount of power required to run the cleaner efficiently this is because there is no longer any air being blown from the exhaust and dust on the furniture is no longer disturbed.

Both systems the Air Recycling Cleaner and the Vacuum Cleaner have their own place in floor care.

However as it is not convenient or practical to have two cleaners available in the home at all times this Dual mode system allowing one upright cleaner to do both jobs. This allows the operator to have the advantage of both types of cleaning system available in one machine simply by the operation of one control knob.

The control of the routing valve can be operated by mechanical means or an electrical solenoid.

A specified embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanied drawings in which:—

FIG. 1 shows an upright dual mode cleaner with the cover removed from the exhaust air routing valve 5. And the rotary valve closing off the filter inlet when it the Air Recycling Cleaner position.

FIG. 2 shows an upright cleaner with the cover 8 of the exhaust air routing valve in position and the control knob 9 in the Air Recycling Cleaner position closing off the airflow to the filter.

Referring to the drawings the Dual mode cleaner has the exhaust air routing valve situated on the side of the cleaner just below the vacuum cleaner filter.

In FIG. 1 in the back of the valve housing can be seen the holes 1 that allow the exhaust air through from the motorized fan housing into the valve enclosure. The valve shutter 5 is closing off the aperture 2 to the exhaust air filter box 4.

In FIG. 2 the cover 8 of the exhaust air routing valve is shown in place with the control knob 9 at the ARC position. To convert to the Vacuum cleaner mode it is only necessary to turn the control knob right to the VAC position that will close off the aperture to the cleaning head and allow the air to go through to the exhaust filter box 4. When the control knob is at Dual the air is allowed to travel through to both the Cleaning head and to the filter box allowing the cleaner to operate in a balanced fashion, which may be considered by some operators to have a useful purpose.

The Dual mode cleaner is not limited to this rotary type of routing valve and will function equally well if other types of valve are used. The mode change mechanism can be of any mechanical lever or electrical switch that can be mounted on the handle or fitted to the base of the machine for foot operation. 

1. A Cleaner that by rerouting the exhaust air stream can be quickly switched from a Vacuum Cleaner to an Air Recycling Cleaner to achieve this an upright carpet cleaner is fitted with an adjustable valve
 1. the purpose of which is to change the route of the exhaust air coming from the outlet of the motorized fan housing between the outlet filter or the cleaning head. With the control knob 9 FIG. 2 in the Vac position it allows the air stream to be taken through the filter 4 and to be released into the ambient air as in a conventional Vacuum Cleaner. When the Air Recycling Cleaner mode is required the control knob 9 can be turned to ARC position to change the rout of the air stream to a hose 6 that leads to the cleaning head 7 where the exhaust air combines with the air being drawn through the carpet.
 2. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, that can be used with a hose attachment as in a conventional vacuum cleaner and switch quickly to an Air Recycling Cleaner.
 3. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, that can be used as An Air Recycling Cleaner and can be switched quickly to a Vacuum Cleaner.
 4. A dual mode cleaner as claimed in claim 1, or claim 3, that can be automatically converted from a vacuum cleaner into an Air Recycling Cleaner.
 5. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, that can use a cyclone separator for the collection and separation of dust and dirt from the air stream.
 6. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, that can use a dust bag in order to collect the dust and dirt.
 7. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, that will work with all types of dust collecting device.
 8. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, to 9, on which the mode can be changed by a switch or control lever fitted to any part of the cleaner handle or base.
 9. A dual mode Cleaner as claimed in claim 1, to 9, that can use a solenoid to change mode.
 10. A dual mode Cleaner substantially as described herein with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing. 